Teaching Resource: Animoto

From time to time I will be listing here some resources which could help enhance your lessons in the classroom. One such resource I am looking to make use of is Animoto, which is a website that allows you to upload images and music to make a slideshow of sorts.

What use could this have for teachers? Well, it would allow your students to create a project whereby they could create a montage of images about a particular subject and set it to music. They could even add text and narrate it themselves. The possibilities are endless.

There are some limitations for using Animoto, however. There are two basic tiers to their service – free and pay per use. The free trial version allows you to upload about 15 images for a 30 second clip. You add your own music and can publish your creation in a variety of formats. Here is an example – I created this using images I took while in Italy this past summer at Pompeii:

If you want to create more than just 30 second clips, you will have to pay for it. Also, if you want to coordinate projects for your classroom, you are going to want to create an account that will allow multiple users access the tools to create the project. Take a look at Animoto’s education services. The cost is minimal but the benefits are great. It will be another way to get your students excited about your classes and in particular, help them connect with classical studies.

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About Magister Ricard

John has been teaching Latin at the secondary level since 2007. He founded the Latin program at Somerset Academy in 2009 and at Pine Crest in 2015. He has built and taught courses ranging from middle school Latin to upper school/high school Latin and at all levels, including AP Latin.

John also teaches AP Art History, AP European History, and AP World History and is an AP reader for AP Art History. He is also the founder of Romae.org, RicardAcademy.info, and AFireKindled.com.